Annual Report

Transcription

1 Annual Report Impact on Senior Star $100,000 Market Value Home* (Estimated) Star Savings Tax Impact $1010 $17 Pay Estimated Rebate check to the order of: $255 John Q. Public West Seneca Central School District Resident Impact on Basic Star $100,000 Market Value Home* (Estimated) Star Savings Tax Impact $533 $29 Pay Estimated Rebate check to the order of: $243 John Q. Public West Seneca Central School District Resident * A R esident With Senior Ta x Exemption Could Have A Projected Ta x Increase Less Than The Figure Shown Above. Increases Are Estim ated Based On A $100,000 M arket Value Home. Estim ates Based On Pending State Legisl ation. Published By The Board Of Education For The Information Of The Citizens Of The West Seneca Centr al School District

2 Annual Election and Budget Vote 7 am - 9 pm Tuesday May 20, 2008 East Senior High School, 4760 Seneca Street BUDGET OVERVIEW Budget Related Increases: Amount % Increase Operating Costs... $2,819, % Program Additions Including:... $741, % Elementary Class Size Reduction Social Workers Before and After School Programs Varsity Hockey Gas and Diesel Costs... $226, % TOTAL BUDGET INCREASES... $3,787, % Table of Contents Budget Overview...2 Proposition No. 1, Property Tax Report Card...3 Budget Overview, Capital...4 Program...5 General Support...6 Proposition No Impact of Increase of State Aid on Fiscal Accountability Supplement...8 School Board Candidates...9, 10, 11 Absentee Ballot Information...11 General Voting Information

3 Property Tax Report Card 3 Actual Estimated Reserved Fund Balance...$10,241,456...$9,805,903 Appropriated Fund Balance...$2,272,948...$2,333,684 Unreserved, Unappropriated Fund Balance...$2,371,493...$3,050,520 Unreserved, Unappropriated Fund Balance % % as a Percent of Total Budget Percent Proposed Budget Budget Change Total Spending... $102,152, $98,365, % Total Estimated... 47,355, ,536, % School Tax Levy Public School (.35) % Enrollment Percentage of increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI)=2.80% Proposition No. 1 (The Budget) YES NO Shall the following resolution be adopted, to wit: RESOLVED, that the budget for the West Seneca Central School District (the District ) for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2008 and ending June 30, 2009, as presented by the Board of Education, in the amount of $102,152,973, is hereby approved and adopted, and the required funds therefore are hereby appropriated, and the necessary real property taxes required shall be raised by a tax on the taxable property in the District to be levied and collected as required by law? Projected Tax Rate Increases* * Despite the differing rates, the tax dollar impact on homes in West Seneca, Cheektowaga, Orchard Park, and Hamburg should be similar for homes with similar market value. Where Money Comes From Total Estimated Revenues: $102,152,973 (*Other revenues include a $1,680,000 fund balance) Town of West Seneca $ % Town of Cheektowaga Town of Orchard Park Town of Hamburg Where Money Goes Total Proposed Expenditures: $102,152,973

4 Budget Overview (Presented in State required format) Capital $15,784,154 $16,010,714 $13,697,600 Program General Support 11,099,964 10,489,785 9,998,555 Total Budget Plant Operations (Supt. of Building and Grounds, staff, plant operation and maintenance) Debt Service (Principal and interest on serial bonds and bond anticipation notes) Employee Benefits (Including GASB pension obligation increase) Refund of Taxes (Reimbursement of property taxes resulting from assessment-related court settlements) Proposed Budget Adopted Budget Adopted Budget ,268,855 71,864,628 68,343,718 $102,152,973 $98,365,127 $92,039,873 Capital Includes operation and maintenance of facilities and related debt service Proposed Budget Adopted Budget Adopted Budget $7,512,519 $7,287,847 $7,128,729 6,295,299 1,801, ,000 6,718,638 1,729, ,000 4,762,406 1,606, ,000 $15,784,154 $16,010,714 $13,697,600 Total Capital 4

5 Program The primary function of a school district is the instructional program of its children. It is the largest expenditure category in the budget. It includes instructional supplies, materials, and equipment. 5 Instruction (Regular day school, physical education, music, technology education, academically talented and vocational programs continuing education, and summer school) Handicapped Instruction (Special education and special schools for children with special needs) Pupil Services (Attendance, guidance, health services, psychologists, and social workers) Co-curricular and Athletics (Faculty advisor stipends and fees for student activities outside of the regular classroom) Transportation (Includes all costs for the approximately 8,873 students bused to our public, non public, and special education schools for regular day instruction) Proposed Budget Adopted Budget Adopted Budget $37,859,644 $35,907,619 $34,064,493 10,792,246 10,705,642 10,598,860 3,641,991 3,428,246 3,241,455 1,394,953 1,295,663 1,224,231 6,460,794 6,007,437 5,831,672 Employee Benefits (Including GASB pension obligation) Transfer to School Lunch and Special Aid Fund (Pays for district s share of grant awards) 14,844,227 14,250,021 13,243, , , ,000 $75,268,855 $71,864,628 $68,343,718 Total Program

6 General Support (Includes non-instructional appropriations for services, materials, and equipment needed to support the district s instructional program) Board of Education (Annual election/budget vote, Board of Education office/meetings, District Clerk, legal notices, dues, workshops) (Presented in state-required format) Proposed Budget Adopted Budget Adopted Budget $142,188 $134,000 $127,554 Superintendent s Office (Superintendent, secretary, conferences, dues) 254, , ,831 Financial and Business Management (Treasurer, assistant manager-finance and computer services, purchasing agent, clerical staff, auditors, tax collection) Staff and Central Services (Asst. Supt. Human Resources, school attorney, clerical staff, community information, central printing, BOCES data processing contract) Instructional Administration (Asst. Superintendent, elementary and secondary principals, assistant principals, supervision, regular school, continuing education, summer school, alternative education, and staff development) Employee Benefits (Including GASB pension obligation, hospitalization and medical insurance, retirement, workmen s compensation, unemployment insurance, and social security) 1,000, , ,731 2,608,958 2,381,866 2,342,254 5,204,305 5,028,976 4,764,018 1,889,584 1,813,945 1,685,167 $11,099,964 $10,489,785 $9,998,555 Total General

7 7 Proposition No. 2 (Purchase of School Buses) YES NO Shall the Board of Education of the West Seneca Central School District be authorized to expend $653,684 from the District s existing capital reserve fund known as the Bus Purchase Reserve Fund (as established by the vote of the qualified voters of the District on May 21, 2002) for the purchase of four 66-passenger school buses at an estimated maximum cost of $88,500 each and seven 20-passenger school buses at an estimated maximum cost of $42,812 each, with such buses to be used in the transportation program of the District, and with the result of such expenditure from the Bus Purchase Reserve Fund having NO impact on the tax levy of the District? Proposition No. 2 (Purchase of School Buses) The Capital Reserve Fund referred to is a savings account established by voter approval to be used exclusively for future bus purchases. Voter authorization is required to expend monies out of a voter-approved Capital Reserve Fund. Each year, the district chooses to spend from this reserve. THE PROPOSED EXPENDITURE FROM THIS ACCOUNT WILL HAVE NO EFFECT ON THE TAX LEVY OF THE DISTRICT. The following analysis projects the bus reserve flow of savings and bus purchases: Year Bus Purchases Interest and Aid Received July 1, $558, , , ,653 0 $262, 494 1,278, ,449 1,479, ,838 Bus Reserve 1,464,123 1,726,617 2,446,096 2,639,042 3,542,053 3,032, ,684 60,000 2,438,554 Fast facts about our Transportation Department Our fleet of buses travels 1,243,000 miles every year Public and private school transportation is provided on 88 different routes to 125 school sites listed in Western New York Our drivers transport more than 8,268 students each school day New bus drivers undergo 50 hours of training and must complete a 30-hour State Education Department course in his or her first year of employment

8 IMPACT OF INCREASE OF STATE AID ON THE BUDGET On April 9, 2009 the Governor and the New York State Legislature enacted the state budget. An increase in state aid was approved for West Seneca schools. Many questions have been raised about the relationship between the state aid increase and our school budget tax increase. When the West Seneca School Board adopted the School District Budget on April 7, 2008, the District was fully aware of the anticipated state aid increase, and had factored it into our original budget estimates. We had budgeted state aid to be approximately $44,921,658 which represented an increase of $2,676,001 over the state aid budget. Our review of the state-aid package approved on April 9, 2008 revealed that our general fund portion of state aid is estimated to be $44,886,539. (The Universal Pre-Kindergarten Grant of $924,700 is not general fund money and cannot be used to reduce taxes.) The difference between our estimate and the actual State aid results in a shortfall for the District of $35,119. This amount will be absorbed by the available School District fund balance. The following analysis will demonstrate how the School District tax levy (the amount to be collected in taxes) is affected by the state aid increase: Proposed budget increase... $3,787,846 Less: Additional state aid and other revenues including fund balance...(3,024,743) Add: Reduction in payments in lieu of taxes and ,575 Estimated interest earning revenues ,500 Net tax levy increase...$1,819,178 The tax levy would have been reduced further if interest rates had not come down recently. Our interest earnings will not reach the levels that we have experienced over the last two years. Overall, the resultant tax rate increase is expected to be 2.49%. As has been stated at several of our public budget meetings, our goal to reduce class size to improve student achievement is a direct response to the state budget s targeted purpose of providing additional state aid to school districts to help reduce class size and improve student achievement. Finally, the most recent analysis of tax rates in Erie County indicates that the West Seneca Central School District ranks 14th out of the 28 Erie County school districts in tax rate per $1,000 of full valuation. Our tax rate of $17.47 per $1,000 of full valuation was $.41 below the county average of $17.88 and our tax rate of $16.96 was $.54 below the county average of $ A summary of our most recent tax rates per $1,000 of full valuation follows: Tax Impact on Tax Rate a $100,000 Home Basic STAR Savings Net Tax $17.47 $1,747 $523 $1, $16.96 $1,696 $540 $1, $16.89 $1,689 $520 $1, * $17.31 $1,731 $533 $1,198 *Estimated Our net tax impact proposed for is still lower than the net tax impact from Fiscal Accountability Supplement* The report below refers to certain expenditure ratios for both general education and special education students. The N.Y. State Education Department has computed values to produce the required comparison statistics. This report contains the computed values for this district along with comparison statistics School Year West Seneca School District Instructional Expenditures General Education Special Education $50,498,029 $18,533,553 Pupils 7,510 1,048 Expenditures per pupil $6,724 $17,685 Similar District Group Instructional Expenditures $7,148,620,066 Pupils $2,479,525, , ,463 Expenditures per pupil $8,399 $21,475 All Public Schools in New York State Instructional Expenditures $25,418,059,645 Pupils $8,990,169,173 2,772, ,175 Expenditures per pupil $9,168 $22,354 8

9 School Board Candidates 9 Janice E. Dalbo n Member of Parent Groups when children were going through West Seneca schools n Her four children, Heather, Tom, Elaine, and Jonathan graduated from West Senior n Bachelor s and master s degrees in education; lifelong educator n Member of the Executive Board for the West Seneca Youth Court n Represents Area 16 of Odyssey of the Mind at New York State meetings n With husband, Rev. Tom Dalbo, serves at Winchester Community Church as children s ministry director and also director of music n Served as area representative on the State School Boards Legislative Network n Trustee for the West Seneca Historical Society n First elected to the Board of Education 1988 n Activity assistant at Eden Heights of West Seneca Daniel P. Dunn My name is Daniel Dunn. My wife Cheryl and I have three children and deep roots in the West Seneca community. I have served on various town and school-based clubs and committees for years including Little Loop Football, Beep Reviewer, DECA Judge, and the Lions Club where I m soon to be past president. I have near 100% attendance in everything I belong to. I enjoy looking at new and innovative ways of raising revenue and cutting expenses, without cutting critical programs that our kids need to succeed in today s world. I hope my work habits, unique perspective, and commitment to a reasonable approach in decision-making merit your support on May 20. Gwendolyn A. Phillips I have been a resident of the town of West Seneca for many years. My son is currently attending East Elementary, where he is in the 6th grade and has benefitted from many of the programs West Seneca has to offer such as Odyssey of the Mind, band performances, Math Around Town, Boy Scouts, and plays East Summer Lacrosse and Winter Modified Lacrosse Programs. I have volunteered in the following capacities: n Board member of East Elementary PTO as Vice President and President n Served on the District Parent Council Committee n Currently a member of the District Public Relations Committee since 2005 n Board member of West Seneca Sharks since 2006, president since 2007 n Co-Captain of a Relay for Life team since 2004 I have since returned to the work force as a recruiter. I am thankful for the opportunities that West Seneca has afforded my family and me, and I am very committed to making a difference.

10 School Board Candidates 10 Stacy P. Miller I consider myself to be an independent thinker, a person of creativity and passion who makes thoughtful decisions. As an alumni and parent of two elementary school students, I value the people who teach and learn in our district, and as a taxpayer, I expect tax dollars to be wisely spent. I have personally invested myself in the WSCSD by: n Partnering with Terri Linsner to form West Playground Pals, Inc. which raised $100,000 in one year to build the West Elementary playground. n Serving as president and secretary of the West Elementary PTA. n Acting as volunteer coordinator of West Elementary s literacy program. I hope to continue to make a difference. Gail M. Hoppe I m Gail Hoppe, and my family and I have lived here for 5 ½ years. I ve been married for 13 years and have five children. Three of our children attend East Elementary. I have been involved with the kindergarten and first-grade literacy program there, and committed a summer to teaching children literacy skills through a summer literacy institute.. I am currently the Christian education coordinator at our church and have served on the church board. I was also privileged to be a parent representative on an interview committee at East Elementary. To serve our district would be an honor! David G. Smaczniak Public education is not just my profession, it is my passion. It has been my pleasure to serve as a member of the school board for the last nine years. I was honored to serve as president for three years and as vice president for two, as well as being a member of various committees. I am a lifelong resident and a graduate of the West Seneca CSD. I obtained my bachelor and two master s degrees from Canisius College. I am an administrator in the Frontier school system. n Chosen by school districts of Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming counties as Area 1 Director for the New York State School Board. n n n n n Active with the Erie County Association of School Boards as an Executive Committee member, team leader, and presenter. Board member on the Promoting Partners in Public Education Foundation and member of the WNED ThinkBright Advisory Board. Former member of Erie 1 BOCES Board of Education Member of the Board of Directors of the West Seneca Development Corporation Active member of St. Philip the Apostle Parish and many other community organizations. I believe that public education must be willing to face changing times. The WSCD consistently meets this challenge while keeping in mind our mission and our economic responsibilities. I believe the better the schools, the better the community, the better the value of our homes! I ask that you consider voting for me and to please support our budget. Thank you!

11 Susan E. May n Married (James) 33 years three children, two grandchildren n West Seneca resident for 33 years n Sweet Home Central Graduate n Member of the Executive Board for the West Seneca Youth Court n Longtime U.S. Postal Service employee n Currently employed at the Buffalo Psychiatric Center n Member of CSEA n Member of the CSEA PEOPLE Committee n On Board of Directors at Jelly Bean Junction Students with Disabilities in the West Seneca Central School District* The report below refers to the percentage for students with disabilities for the District. The N.Y. State Education Department has computed values for these statistics for each district and for the state. The report outlined below contains these required values for this District and statewide comparison values. West Seneca Statewide Student Counts as of December 1, 2006 (Time outside a regular classroom) Student Placement 20% or Less 21% to 60% More than 60% Separate Settings Count of Students with Disabilities Percentage of Students with Disabilities Percentage of Students with Disabilities % 19.0% 30.2% 3.5% 53.5% 13.0% 24.7% 6.3% Other Settings 7 0.7% 2.5% * The source data for the statistics in this table were reported on the Required Report of the Number of Students with Disabilities Provided Special Education in Regular School-based Programs and in Separate Settings, and in Other Settings (PD-1/4). The counts are numbers of students reported in the several placements for school-age programs (ages 6-21) on December 1, The PD-1/4 reports the proportion of time students are outside general education classrooms, regardless of the amount and cost of special education services they receive. Rounding of percentage values may cause them to sum to a number slightly different from 100%. School-age Students with Disabilities Classification Rate This District* Total of All Public School Districts* Resident Classification Rate 11.66% 12.4% * This rate is the ratio of the count of school-age (4-21) residents in the district who are classified as having disabilities, divided by a computed measure of the total district-resident school-age population (including public school students, nonpublic students, and students receiving home instruction). Source data are drawn from the School District Report of the Number of Students with Disabilities (PD-1/4) and the Basic Education Data System. Absentee Ballots How do you get an absentee ballot? Just follow the steps below. 1. Request an Application: Absentee ballots may be issued only if your application is on file with the school district. Call or write the district clerk s office, 1397 Orchard Park Road, West Seneca, NY or call for an application. Requests for applications may be made no earlier than 30 days preceding the vote and not later than 7 days before the vote. For the May 20 Budget Vote, requests for applications for an absentee ballot may be made up to and including May Return Your Application: After filling out the application for an absentee ballot, you must return it to the district clerk s office located in Room 200 at the West Elementary School. It may be mailed or hand-delivered, but if it is to be mailed, the application must be received at least 7 days before the election, to enable sufficient time for the ballot to be mailed and returned. 3. Fill Out Your Ballot and Turn It In: Assuming the above instructions have been properly completed and you have qualified for an absentee ballot, you will receive a ballot in the mail, which will take the same basic form as that inside the voting machine. Follow the instructions on the ballot and either mail it or hand-deliver it to the district clerk s office. However, it must be received by the district clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on the day of the vote (May 20, 2008). If you have any questions, call Mrs. Marlene Leone at

12 *****ECRWSS POSTAL CUSTOMER NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID BUFFALO, NY Permit No West Seneca Central School District 1397 Orchard Park Road West Seneca, NY Board of Education Mark P. Lazzara, President Mary J. Busse, Vice President James J. Azstalos Trustee Carol A. Jarczyk, Trustee Nancy L. Lesakowski, Trustee Daniel A. Nagy, Trustee David G. Smaczniak, Trustee Superintendent of Schools Jean M. Kovach John Karlis, Editor Volume 37 - Issue 4 Annual Election and Budget Vote 7 am - 9 pm Tuesday May 20, 2008 East Senior High School, 4760 Seneca Street Q: Who can vote? A: To vote, you must be at least 18 years of age, a citizen of the United States, and a school district resident for at least 30 days prior to the vote. Q: What should I bring to the voting place? A: Please bring your proper identification (a driver s license or satisfactory verification of name and address). Q: Should I pre-register? A: No, pre-registration is not required. If you have not voted in the past, please be sure to bring proper identification. Q: I live in an apartment. Can I vote? A: Yes. You do not have to own a home to vote. Tenants must bring satisfactory proof of name and address. Q: Can I vote if I will be out of town? A: Yes, qualified voters may be issued an absentee ballot. Information regarding these ballots is located on Page 9 of this publication. Q: Where is the polling place? A: East Senior High School, located at 4760 Seneca Street. Please enter from the rear of the building (closest to the gymnasium). For the more information, visit us at